Start Again
by unshakespearean
Summary: 4 years after Miracle Day, Torchwood's been rebuilt, and with Martha and Mickey behind him and Gwen by his side, Jack's ready to start again, admit his feelings for his second-in-command, discover something very interesting about four-year-old Anwen, and maybe - just maybe - pull off the impossible. T for language/triggers. Eventual Harcooper, some Rhysbashing. Very domestic-y.
1. Chapter 1: Return to Earth

**Chapter One: Return to Earth**

"Finally," I sigh, stroking my newly-fixed vortex manipulator. I'm sure that the Doctor will kill me at least twice if he finds out I've gotten it fixed - and then three more times at least when he finds out it's been _deadlocked_ - but it's worth it. Totally worth it. "Thanks, by the way."

"Shouldn't have accuracy problems, either," says Riktos, the repair guy. "At least not as bad as the ones you've already had. Still can't believe that you really missed a target by multiple centuries."

"It's the truth," I grin.

"Explains a lot," he mutters. I wink at him, knowing exactly what he's thinking. "Well. Off you go then. Back to Earth, you said?"

"That's right," I nod. "Got a call from some old friends."

Three days ago, I got a call from Martha Jones. She told me that she and Mickey had gotten the funds to rebuild Torchwood and they wanted me to come back and take charge. Our old base had been rebuilt, all of the old machinery replicated to the last detail - apparently every single blueprint Tosh had ever sketched was located in a strongbox, Martha had even managed to get the Doctor to recreate the perception filter - she said that the Doctor had regenerated and now wore bow ties and tweed and suspenders. Torchwood was ready for a complete relaunch - but they wanted me back.

_I know it won't be the same_, she said, _not without the others, but we need you, Jack. We can't run Torchwood without you._

I do love being needed for things. So I told them to come meet me in front of the new base the next day.

"Thank you for everything," I say as I plug in the coordinates. Riktos salutes, and I teleport back home.

* * *

><p>"Jack!" Martha says when I teleport in next to her.<p>

"Good to see you," I grin, and we hug.

"I think you're really going to love the new base," she says excitedly. "It's almost exactly like the old one, but has a few tweaks. Come see?"

"Hold on," I say. "I'm back, but under two very important conditions. First, we are not going to be called Torchwood Three. That branch died. This is Torchwood Five."

"That was my plan already," Martha nods. "And I already made that very clear to the powers that pretend to be."

"You're a star. Second condition: Gwen Cooper."

"What about her?" Mickey asks.

"When I left Earth the last time, she was still alive. Our first order of business will be to find her, and if she's still alive, we are going to do absolutely everything in our power to get her to come back. She probably won't, but it's worth a try." Martha and Mickey nod. "Come on."

We walk into the new Hub and it does indeed look exactly like the old one. "The computer system has been upgraded," Martha explains, "but everything Tosh designed or built herself hasn't been changed. We followed the blueprints to the letter."

"It's amazing," is all I can say. "Thank you." I hug them both.

"Right," Mickey says once we pull away. "Let's track down Gwen." He goes over to one of the computers and starts running searches. "I don't think getting her to come back is going to be very difficult," he says a few minutes later.

"Why not?" I ask, going over to the computer.

He points to an article with an obituary. "Look at this. A year ago today."

I look at the name on the obituary.

Rhys Williams.

"I never liked that guy," I say, trying as hard as I can not to keep the grin off my face.

"Wonder why," Martha laughs. I turn to look at her. "Oh, don't argue with me."

"Whatever," I mutter. "Mickey Mouse, do you have an address for me?"

"I'd try here first," he says, pointing to a map reference. "Cemetery where he's buried."

"Right then," I say. "Let's go find her."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey everyone! Here's the first chapter of Start Again! I probably shouldn't be starting another project right now, but the idea came to me and I just couldn't help myself.<strong>

**Unfortunately, this means some sacrifices must be made, and by that I mean that Tales from the Hub is nearly ready to take an official hiatus. I plan to write and post one more chapter so I can officially say that the piece is over 55,000 words long, but after that there will be no more updates for awhile. I just don't have any ideas for it. I promise, however, that both it and Flame, which has also been on hiatus for quite some time, will continue. Just not now. I'll Run Away To You, the piece I'm cowriting with Mary (Professional Procrastinator), on the other hand, will NOT be taking an official hiatus as the next few installments of that should be coming soon. Hopefully.**

**In other news, a shoutout to the newest member of the Lone Shippers, KENDRA! (Kendra600)**

**Make sure to checkout What the Fluff!**

**And as always, love and ducks to the Lone Shippers, hugs to supporters, thanks to Eleonora, Noe, Hanul, and Kizzie, shoutouts to my chosen-sisters, and cookies for all!**

**Love,**

**Ofelia xxx**


	2. Chapter 2: The Man in the Photograph

**Hey guys! Forgot to say something important in the beginning and in the description, so I'll say it now: This is going to be told in Jack's POV unless otherwise stated.**

**Okay, on with the chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two: The Man in the Photograph<strong>

"This is it?" I ask, turning to Martha.

"Should be, yeah. I'm not sure exactly where-"

"-I'll figure it out," I cut her off. "I'll call you if I need anything, okay?"

"Good luck," she says with a soft smile. "I do hope you can get her to come back."

I get out of the car and begin wandering the cemetery. It's completely silent except for the rustling of the wind and maybe a bird or two. There's not a person in sight.

_She's not here_, I decide, and I'm about to call Martha when I hear something.

"Mummy? Mummy, where are you?" A child is calling out from somewhere I can't quite see. "Mummy, where are you?"

"You'd better not be wearing a gas mask," I mutter, and I run towards the voice.

"Mummy? Mummy! Mummy, where are you?" The voice gets louder and louder as I reach its source: a little girl, about four or five years old, with brown hair, her back turned towards me as she looks out over the cemetery.

"Are you alright?" I ask as I approach.

"I'm looking for my mummy. Have you seen someone who looks like me?" The little girl turns towards me and looks at me for a second before her bright green eyes widen and she grins broadly. "I know you!" she exclaims. "You're the man in the photograph!"

"The man in the photograph?" I ask.

"Yeah, Mummy's photograph," she explains. "But now I can't find her."

"Well, I think you should stay in one place," I say, "and your mummy will come and find you. Mummies can always find their kids."

"Okay," she says, and she plops herself down on the ground. "Will you stay here? That way when Mummy finds me, she'll find you too."

"Sure," I nod, sitting down next to her. "I'm curious as to whose mummy has a photograph of me on her desk, so it'll work out-"

"Mummy!" the kid exclaims. "There she is! Down there! Mummy! Mummy!" She jumps up and begins waving. "Mummy, I'm over here!" Her mother comes running, and almost immediately I recognize her.

Gwen.

"-perfectly," I finish very quietly.

"Mummy, look!" the little girl says after they hug tightly, jumping up and down. "Mummy, I found the man in the photograph!"

"The-" She looks up and sees me. Instantly her eyes widen in a look of shock I've seen on her a million times. "Oh my God…"

"You can just call me Jack," I tease. "Or-" She runs to me and hugs me tightly. "Or you could hug me."

"Do you have any idea how much I want to slap you right now?" she murmurs into my chest.

"Oh, absolutely," I whisper back, burying my face in her hair.

"You deserve it," she says firmly.

"I deserve it," I nod.

"No you don't," she sighs.

"Knew you'd come around," I grin.

"I missed you," she says.

"I missed you too." We pull apart and I take a look at the little girl. "So, if _this_ gorgeous woman is Mummy," I muse, pointing at Gwen, who blushes as I continue, "_this_ little beauty must be Miss Anwen Williams, all grown up!"

"It's Anwen Cooper," she says with a little frown. I look over at Gwen with confusion, and she cracks a smile.

"That wasn't my doing," Gwen explains. "She's been 'correcting' people just about ever since she could talk."

"Daddy always used to glare at me when I did it in front of him," Anwen says very solemnly. "He also used to glare at that photograph." She sighs. "Anyway, I'm not _all _grown up. I'm only _some _grown up."

"How old are you?" I ask, quickly changing the subject as I store her little recollection away.

"Four and a half," she says proudly.

"That's pretty grown up to me," I say. "Don't ever underestimate four and a half years, Anwen Cooper." I grin at the name. It just sounds so much better than… anyway. "You can do a lot in four and a half years."

"That's right," Gwen says with that bright smile that I have sorely, sorely missed, and she pulls her daughter closer.

"Yeah," Anwen mutters, shrugging Gwen off. I stifle a laugh. This is _so _Gwen's kid. "Anyway, what's _your _name?" She looks up at me with a sweet little smile.

"Captain Jack Harkness," I say, reaching down to shake her little hand. Gwen coughs. I turn to glare at her. "I swear, if I had a nickel for every time someone got mad at me for saying hello, I'd be a very rich man."

"I don't get it," Anwen says. "Why would someone get mad when you say hello?"

"I don't get it either," I shrug, sneaking a quick smirk at Gwen when Anwen isn't looking.

"Jack, why are you here?" Gwen asks. "And how long are you planning on staying?" On the surface, she sounds like her typical Gwen Cooper snarky self, but I can tell it's a bit more than that. She's pissed at me, and I don't blame her a bit.

"Why don't we talk about this somewhere that's not a cemetery," I suggest. "Are you still living in the same place?"

"Yeah," she sighs. "I've been looking to move, though. Anwen has to start school soon, and there aren't any good schools around here."

"I could just _not _start school," Anwen suggests. "Why should I have to?"

"Well, first of all, it's the law," I explain.

"Which you'd know _so _much about," Gwen mutters.

"I would," I argue. "It's a bit hard _not _to know about the law when you used to work with an ex-police officer, and a very law-abiding one at that. Anyway. You have to go to school or else you get in _big _trouble. Moreover, school is pretty fun. You make tons of new friends."

"I do wish I had more friends," she sighs.

"See? School's a good thing," I grin. "Now. I hate to invite myself over, but-"

"Oh, please," Gwen laughs. "Let's go."

"Finally," Anwen sighs in an incredibly adorable overdramatic four-year-old fashion. "I _hate _it here." She looks up at us with a bright, slightly cheeky grin. "Race you!" And she takes off.

"Anwen!" Gwen shouts after her. "Anwen, you have no idea where you're going! Oh, God," she sighs. "Come on." She grabs my hand and starts running. It's only until after we've been running for thirty seconds that I realize that my heart's racing.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey everyone! So, what do you think of Anwen thus far? I'm guessing she seems a bit too precocious thus far (I have a bad habit of making my kid characters too mature for their years), but I can promise you that she will lose some of that - or at least, it won't show too much - in the rest of the story.<strong>

**It's likely that the next installment of this story won't be for awhile, because I have tons of other projects on my hand. As I said in chapter one, I'm writing one more chapter of Tales from the Hub so I can say that I have a piece with over 55,000 words, and then I'll be putting it on official hiatus, allowing me to focus on this piece, Home, Bad Boy, I'll Run Away To You (that is, when Mary, aka Professional Procrastinator, aka my brilliant and amazing and incredible cowriter, actually finishes her section and posts it!), and of course What the Fluff. (You guys wouldn't **_**believe **_**how many What the Fluff pieces I have to finish and post!)**

**In other news: I'm holding a contest! Here's the deal: Three of my pieces, namely this one, Bad Boy, and More Than Good Enough, need cover images! You have until March 1st to submit cover images, after which I'll choose winners for each story. The winners will prizes so fantabulous that I can't even say what they are! Email unshakespearean at gmail dot com to submit!**

**Make sure to checkout What the Fluff!**

**And, as always, love and ducks to the Lone Shippers, hugs to supporters, thanks to Eleonora, Noe, Hanul, and Kizzie, shoutouts to my chosen-sisters, and cookies for all!**

**Love,**

**Ofelia xxxx**

**UPDATE: I forgot to mention! There's a Doctor Who reference in this chapter. PM me or email me with what it is, and you get a shoutout in the next chapter!**


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